The Christmas Network
by voiceofreason99
Summary: (S1XMas) It's Christmas, and the latest advance in social media is sweeping the world, promising to fuse the human soul to the internet! But is it really as innocent as it sounds? The Doctor reunites with Sasha and Alec Parker to take on the Cybermen! But will that Doctor take them back? Will Claire trust him? And what do you buy a Time Lord for Christmas . . .?
1. Part 1 - The Christmas Reunion

_**Woop! The Christmas Special! This continues on from the first series, so take a look if you want, otherwise you should be able to catch on to the basic story. Enjoy!**_

* * *

" _Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,_

 _In the lane, snow is glistening,_

 _A beautiful sight,_

 _We're happy tonight,_

 _Walking in a Winter Wonderland_."

Sasha Parker danced around her kitchen, wrapping tinsel around her body like a showgirl as she pranced. As the microwave beeped, she pulled out her M&S Christmas pudding pot, piling cream over it. She danced around her Christmas tree, flicking the baubles so that they rang, and flopped down into her sofa, digging into her pudding. There was some game show on TV – something cheesy with flashing lights every time a prize was won.

Once she'd finished her pudding, she picked up her phone and dialled. No-one picked up; just a dull ringing, so she left a message:

"Doctor? Are you there? I have got the right number, right, otherwise I'm going to look like an idiot. Anyway, it's Christmas, Doctor. It's been a while and I just thought . . . Well . . . Perhaps you could take a visit. Just for Christmas. I don't know if we've done something wrong, but we haven't spoken in ages and . . . I just want to see your face. Come back, Doctor. You can be our Christmas present. Come back. We need you!"

* * *

Claire Hodgson wondered through the streets of London – last minute Christmas shopping. Christmas jumper, turkey hat, wide eyed and happy. She stepped into the warmth of a small chocolate shop, a high-price high street type place where each individual product was hand packed and neatly displayed. And there – the perfect present – a box of biscuit themed chocolates. Not just chocolate biscuits, but small chocolates with rich tea bases, or a crunchy ginger. "Sasha and her biscuits!" Claire laughed to herself.

She stepped to the counter, dancing a little to the festive music. The woman at the counter had short black hair and red lipstick, with three black spots on her cheek. She scanned the box and placed it in a bag.

"It's looking like it should be a good Christmas so far," the shop assistant smiled.

"Well, as long as the weather holds up. Mind you, those clouds over the city centre."

"I know right! They've been there for ages," the shop assistant added. "That'll be fourteen pound ninety nine, but it comes at half price if you purchase a CyberSocial voucher."

"Cyber what?" Claire asked in confusion.

"You don't know what CyberSocial is?" the assistant gasped, nearly laughing. "Everyone knows about CyberSocial; even my Nan!"

"Yes, but what is it?" Claire persisted.

"It's the latest social media trend. It's launching on Christmas morning, but already over one billion accounts have been guaranteed within the last two weeks. CyberSocial is big! Seriously, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram – who gives one now! CyberSocial is revolutionising social media, and you can't afford to miss out," the shop assistant explained. "CyberSocial has given these vouchers to every high-street chain absolutely free – in fact, we gain money from it! You won't find a person in Britain without CyberSocial by the time it's launched. My nan got an iPhone just for the sake of it – and she's in her eighties!"

"And what will the voucher get me?" Claire asked.

"A CyberSocial account – all privileges included. But then again, every account has all privileges included."

"That sounds alright," Claire smiled. "How much does it cost?"

"Fifty pence."

"Aren't these things usually free?"

"Yeah, but most social media gets money from advertising and stocks. Not CyberSocial. No adverts, ever! Trust me, fifty pence is gonna look like buying the whole of Rome for a tenner."

"Alright then," Claire shrugged, handing over the money and taking both the chocolates and the voucher. "Merry Christmas."

* * *

The doorbell rang.

"One minute!" Sasha called, weaving past the wrapping on the floor to get to the front door. "Just a sec!" Eventually, she reached the door and pulled it open.

"Doctor!"

And there he was – the Doctor. Stood at the front door as if no time had passed between them. His clothes were clean and fresh, his face somehow younger than when they had last met. And there adventures rushed into that one expression he held on his face.

The Doctor frowned. "You look happy."

"Get here!" Sasha laughed, grabbing the Doctor into a tight hug.

The Doctor croaked, fidgeting uncomfortably to get out of Sasha's warming grip. "Merry Christmas," he wheezed.

"You too! Wait there a minute," Sasha insisted, running off into her flat, then reappearing with mistletoe in his hand, holding it up over the Doctor's head. "Tradition I suppose," she giggled, moving her cheek close to the Doctor.

"So's Morris dancing, and I can't stand that either," the Doctor frowned, moving past Sasha into her flat.

"Fine enough then," Sasha shrugged, giving up on the mistletoe and closing the door behind her to join the Doctor in the lounge. She watched as he inspected the wrapping covered floor, a little disapproving. "Sorry about the mess. I was meant to send them yesterday, but remembered that presents usually come wrapped. I'm not the best but I'm giving it a go."

"Alright then," the Doctor smiled, sitting down on the sofa. "Ah! Where's good old Alec? How's he doing?"

"Well . . . Erm . . ." Sasha stuttered, trying to cover her concern with a feeble smile. "He's not particularly in the best of moods."

"Teenagers. Always in a mood. So what happened?" the Doctor asked, concerned.

"You'd probably know better than me; you were there."

"Was I?"

"Yes. At the hospital," Sasha reminded him. The Doctor immediately remembered that night – they'd escaped the Dalek trap, but at the cost of Sasha being hospitalised in a critical condition.

Burned. Scared. Broken.

"Whilst I was in surgery, Shannon left Alec. He said that Francesca had taken Shannon to live elsewhere. He can't see her again."

The Doctor remembered. Alec, Sasha's brother and companion to the Doctor, had been captured by a , as it turned out, a Dalek puppet. At the facility he was taken to, he met Shannon Taylor.

She had been the love of his life.

"How long has it been since then?" the Doctor asked.

"Four months. I'm back on the mend, as you can probably see. But I think Alec is the most scared. I'm not surprised. He's had one hell of a year."

"Can I see him?" the Doctor asked.

"Not now. He's sleeping," Sasha said. "In fact, how about we go present shopping. A bit of a catch up, then you can meet him in the morning. You could spend the Christmas weekend with us."

"How long until Christmas?"

"Just under two days. It's the 23rd tonight," Sasha informed him.

"I don't carry money."

"It's not about the present," Sasha smiled. "I'll pay. I just wanted you here for Christmas."

"I'm not a present person."

Sasha shrugged. "I couldn't care less either. Come on. I just want to talk, I doubt we'll actually buy anything. For old friends' sake?"

The Doctor grunted, "Fine."

* * *

Alec sat on his bed. He wasn't sleeping. He'd heard the door close, but nothing else over the sounds from his iPod. White light from the stars glistened out of his window, so he watched them. The sky was a dark blue – beautiful. Shannon's face emerged in the stars, burning away at the quivering of his heart.

He stepped to the window, pressing his hand against the cold surface. A dog barked on the street below, a harsh addition to the carolling from the church on the horizon. And on the ground a blue light . . . A TARDIS blue light.

"Doctor?" Alec gasped. Immediately, he stormed into the lounge, but realised that his sister had gone. Still in pyjamas he ran outside into the corridor of the block of flats and called out for the Doctor, but his friend had gone.

* * *

Alec picked up the landline and dialled. Her placed the receiver to his ear and spoke. "Claire? Claire can you hear me?"

Claire, a little chaotically, flopped down into one of the dusty seats of the train on the London Underground. She laid her shopping bags on the floor, nearly breaking another woman's toe, and replied in exhaustion to the ringing of her phone: "Yeah? Who is this?"

"It's Alec. I need to talk to you," Alec begged.

"Face-to-face?" Claire asked in confusion.

"Yes. I wouldn't ask unless it was important."

"What about?"

"Face-to-face," Alec insisted.

"Not even a clue?"

"Erm . . ." Alec groaned, not sure of how to reply. "The Doctor's back."

Claire jumped out of her seat in excitement and shock. "WHAT? _The_ Doctor? Oh my God! I'll get off as soon as I can and come find you. Stay at Sasha's flat." Claire placed her phone back in her pocket, twitching a little with shock.

* * *

 _ **I hope you liked that! I'll post the next part soon! Please review/favourite/subscribe - I'd appreciate it so much! Thanks :)**_


	2. Part 2 - Shop Horror

_**I hope you're liking this so far. Remember to post your comments in the reviews!**_

* * *

Sasha wrapped her arm around the Doctor's as they wandered through the high street, surrounded by fairy lights and flashing advertisements that blurred the entire city into a ball of neon festivities. There was no snow – the modern usual- but the two of them wore scarves, and Sasha, a ridiculous novelty turkey hat.

"So," Sasha shrugged, "how's the travelling?"

"Not bad," the Doctor nodded.

"You've got a tan line," Sasha grinned.

"I was at a beach, and there were two suns."

"That sounds better than 'not bad'."

"I needed to relax."

"How so?"

That question made the Doctor stop in his tracks. "I thought you of all people would know. The trap. The Dalek trap that nearly killed us all."

"So what?" Sasha shrugged.

"You especially nearly died."

"And that's what happens when we travel with you. You can't blame yourself for something you weren't responsible for," Sasha insisted, squeezing the Doctor's arm. "You can't run away from it to some far away beach, and expect that to get rid of the memories."

"I wasn't trying to do that."

"Then it certainly seems that way. How long?"

"How long what?" the Doctor asked.

"How long were you there?" Sasha clarified. "How long have you been travelling since the Daleks?"

"I dunno," the Doctor shrugged.

"Then estimate."

"Nearly a year," the Doctor snapped.

"A year?" Sasha gasped. "A whole year at a beach with two suns by yourself? You'd better have used sunscreen. You could've got skin cancer. Can Time Lord's get skin cancer?"

"No!" the Doctor cried.

"Not a year at the beach, or Time Lord's don't get skin cancer?"

"I wasn't there for a year."

"But can you get cancer?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Because I need to know how much Factor 50 I need to pack for our next adventures," Sasha snapped, suddenly bursting into a smile. "Did you really think I wanted you back _just_ for Christmas?"

"No. But it's all you're getting."

"What?" Sasha cried, catching up with the Doctor as he walked away. "You can't do that! You can't walk out at Christmas!"

"You can have Christmas, but then I'm off."

"Why? Did we do something wrong?"

"No. You never do."

"Then why are you kicking us out?"

"Because you've seen what travelling with me can do," the Doctor said, grabbing Sasha by the arms as he suddenly became very serious. "I've always said that things don't last long with me, and that I can't be trusted; since the Daleks you have absolute truth that people get hurt around me. You nearly died on that ship, for God's sake!"

"You can't keep turning us away. If you've learnt anything, it's that you need us too."

"No! Don't do this!"

"Why not?" Sasha said, throwing her arms up. "Do you like travelling with us?"

"Yes. Of course I do."

"Then give us a chance," Sasha suggested. "Spend this Christmas with us, then make your choice. I won't be mad with you. I won't even argue. If you want, I'll let you go. All I ask if that you spend Christmas with us."

"I won't change my mind," the Doctor insisted.

"Nevertheless, there's no harm in trying."

Sasha raised her eyebrows, giving the Doctor a 'please-just-this-once' expression as he contemplated the offer. Eventually, he shrugged. "Ok. Sure. This _one_ Christmas only!"

"Yes!" Sasha laughed, jumping up as she punched the air. "Thank you!" she laughed, pulling the Doctor in for a large hug.

The Doctor fidgeted, trying to escape from Sasha as she locked his arms. "It's not a promise."

"But I'll convince you. I _will_ convince you!" Sasha insisted, squeezing him half to death.

"Ok . . ." the Doctor wheezed.

* * *

There were gunshots. Police Constable Jameson ducked as a bullet swerved over his head, ricocheting off a metal grill as it sparked. Jameson hid behind a mannequin, shielding his head. Gasping and sweating, he pulled his radio from his pocket and spoke. "Emergency! Back-up needed. Gunman in Whiteleys shopping centre. Shots fired. Gunman is contained on the west-facing, ground floor corridor." He ducked again as a shop was fired.

Across the corridor, another police officer hid in another shop. He gestured to Jameson, ' _make a move_ ' and readied his gun. Jameson nodded in agreement.

"GO, GO, GO!" Jameson cried, stepping out from behind the mannequin.

The two officers shot at the gunman, mostly missing as the bullets hit shop windows, shattering glass to the floor. Eventually, the gunman fell to the floor as a bullet struck!

Patience.

Waiting in silence until, eventually . . .

"Arms down!" Jameson cried, lowering his gun. The other officer stepped to check the gunman's pulse. "Good work. Call an ambulance."

* * *

The Doctor and Sasha continued through the streets, stepping along to the chiming of Christmas carols.

"That'd be nice for Alec," Sasha said, pointing out an app controlled helicopter in the window of a gadget shop. "He's still into all that spy stuff."

"A bit costly," the Doctor frowned.

"I'm paying remember."

Out-of-the-blue, the Doctor suddenly hurried into the shop, leaving Sasha looking confused outside!

"Doctor?" she called, following him inside. The shop was warmer than outside, with red walls, and every surface covered with some sort of electronic gadget. "Doctor, what is it?"

The Doctor stepped to one of the displays, holding up the boxes of every different toy before throwing them to the floor, as though he were searching for something.

"Sir! Please stop that!" a shop assistant barked, grabbing the Doctor by the arm.

The Doctor held up one of the boxes to the shop assistant's face, his finger pointing directly to a small logo on the packaging. "CyberTech!" he snapped. "What is CyberTech?"

"I dunno," the assistant shrugged, "just a brand. Now I'm going to have to ask you to put it down."

"Everything in this shop is made by CyberTech – why?" the Doctor persisted.

"I'm gonna call the police if you don't leave this moment!" the shop assistant snapped.

"Come on, Doctor," Sasha pleaded, pulling on the Doctor's arm.

The Doctor shrugged her off, staring deep into the shop assistant's eyes. "Are they controlling you?"

"Doctor!" Sasha snapped, grabbing the Doctor and pulling him out of the shop. "What was that about?"

"CyberTech," the Doctor frowned.

"Yes! CyberTech! It's some company linked with that CyberSocial. But what on earth was that about?!"

"What?" the Doctor frowned.

"CyberSocial. It's this new social network thing launching Christmas morning. Why? What's wrong? It's just a company. They've got skyscraper headquarters and everything."

"Show me."

"Look up there," Sasha said, spinning the Doctor around and pointing to a large screen in the street. It was a news broadcast, showing a ginger haired woman in a red suit standing in front of the BT Tower. "That's Miss Rubens. She started the project and is in charge of the launch."

Miss Rubens spoke on the screen: "CyberSocial won't just revolutionise social messaging; it'll revolutionise the world! We're so used to faking reality on the internet, creating low self-esteem and distorting what the real world is. No longer! CyberTech will become the real world. No more sitting at a keyboard and ignoring the world around you. CyberSocial won't just join you to the internet; it'll make you the internet!"

"What?" the Doctor gasped.

"Your entire consciousness is uploaded to the CyberSocial network, where everyone can share and be themselves," Miss Rubens continued. "You can jump between the real world and virtual world at any desired point, and won't be able to tell the difference. Faster messaging, being true to yourself – CyberSocial isn't just a step in the virtual world, it is the best thing that has, or ever will happen. So make sure you've set up an account by launch on Christmas morning – you don't want to miss out!"

Miss Rubens disappeared from the screen as the news continued.

"And that's CyberSocial," Sasha summarised. "Your consciousness gets uploaded to the internet. It's the perfect link between the real and virtual world."

"But that puts CyberTech in control of your souls!" the Doctor gasped. "Humanity will lose control of the one thing it should always possess. If they wanted, CyberTech could delete your mind at any point if they wanted. Has no-one spoken out about it?"

"Of course," Sasha replied. "There are centres all over the world where people get these implants to upload themselves. There have been five attacks at these centres over the last two weeks alone. There are campaigns on Facebook, public speeches . . . Why? Is now really a time to dispute the rise of corporate domination?"

"Have you got an account?"

"No! I've not been brainwashed, unlike the rest of the world."

"We've got to stop them," the Doctor frowned.

"What?" Sasha asked. "You can't bring down CyberTech. People have tried before and never succeeded. What is this even about?"

"And what happens to those people?"

"I don't know. They just . . . Disappear."

"Exactly – that's what the Cybermen do!" the Doctor snapped. "They have to be stopped."

"The Cybermen?"

* * *

 _ **The Cybermen! But what is their plan? Why is Jameson so important? Keep reading to have your questions answered. Thanks for reading, I hope your liking this so far!**_


	3. Part 3 - The CyberSocial Conspiracy

_**Hi! New chapter! Please favourite/subscribe/review! More will follow soon!**_

* * *

Miss Rubens sat at her desk, looking through files and scrolling through her laptop – it was a busy day preparing for the launch of CyberSocial. Light spilled in through the large windows, a glistening grey from seventy one floors up the CyberTech Tower. Everything in the room was spotless and metal and in the perfect position. Even her pencils were lined up in order.

Someone knocked at the door.

Quickly and efficiently, Miss Rubens closed her laptop and placed it in her desk drawer with several other files. "Come in!" she called, combing her ginger hair out of her eyes.

The door opened, and in stepped a tall, black haired man in a suit. He had a look as though he was always a bit confused. "Erm . . . I have the latest reports from the Ethics Department," he said, holding out a large folder, stepping towards Miss Rubens.

"Mr Blakemore, isn't it?" Miss Rubens recalled with a smile, taking the folder and placing it on her desk. "I've been hearing stories from Human Resources – your concerns for the CyberSocial project."

Mr Blakemore stuttered a little, "Well, there are some aspects of the project that concern me." He quickly added, "Well, not as much as those clouds over the city!" joking to lighten the mood.

With her eyes still fixed onto Mr Blakemore, Miss Rubens sank back into her chair, "Please elaborate."

Mr Blakemore swallowed in fear. "It all started when I looked into the figures. Every year, we spend half a million pounds on salaries, but if the current number of employees is correct, we only pay them with two thousand pounds a year. I doesn't add up! It's probably just a major clerical error, or we're paying people way below the minimum wage."

"A clerical error, I'm sure," Miss Rubens replied dismissively.

"But there's more," Mr Blakemore interrupted. "There's a whole set of programs on CyberSocial that were never created. I've checked with IT, and not one person claims to have written or authorised it. No-one can understand it – even though we have the best in Britain working on this project – or find a way of getting rid of it. We tried wiping it from the system but it just popped back up again the next day. Then, a day or two later, I asked the IT guys again, and it was like they'd forgotten the entire thing! I doesn't make sense."

Miss Rubens shook her head. "I'm not an expert on the IT side. You should speak to someone else."

"And I have," Mr Blakemore insisted. "I've asked every Head of Department but nothing's been done. And when I speak to the staff, they just forget the next day. The only thing I'm left to believe is that this project has been hijacked. All the staff must be involved . . . And then I realised that the first time there was any record of you was five years ago. You only began to exist when the project was created." Suddenly, Mr Blakemore pulled a gun from his back pocket and aimed it at Miss Rubens. "Who are you and what have you done with the project?"

Miss Rubens chuckled. "You've worked on this project since the start – I never expected things to come with this."

"Exactly. I've put my heart into five years of this, and another ten years working with CyberTech; I want to know whether I've been working for an illegal, immoral purpose," Mr Blakemore snapped.

A sinister grin split across Miss Rubens' face. She stepped out of her chair, so that she was close enough to reach for Mr Blakemore's gun. "Go ahead. Fire," she teased. "It won't stop us. The Cybermen control this corporation and will continue to do so."

"Cybermen? Who are they?" Mr Blakemore asked, his hands shaking. The metal rattling of the gun.

"We _are_ CyberTech. We made the company. We made CyberSocial. And we will take the world, no matter who gets in our way."

Mr Blakemore fired.

No bullets were fired.

Mr Blakemore watched in confusion as a silver insect crawled from the barrel of his gun. It scuttled up his arm and up to his face. Within moments, an army of Cybermites were crawling up Mr Blakemore's body, scuttling inside him. Upgrade in progress.

"Urgh," Miss Rubens groaned, stretching out her back and shoulders as she watched Mr Blakemore's transformation. "Finally. I don't have to keep hiding now. Visual update in progress." She moved her hand to the bottom of her neck, where she pressed a small metal circle that bonded with her skin. Her whole body changed, as though her very skin was made of pixels as she changed. Transformed -

\- Into a Cyberman.

* * *

Alec threw open the door to the appartment, looking onto the wide-eyed and wide-mouthed gasp of Claire as she stood, covered in winter clothing, in the coldness of the corridor.

"Where is he?" Claire demanded, stumbling into the flat pushing past Alec as she searched the flat.

"He's gone," Alec replied, closing the front door and joining Claire in the living room. "He left with Sasha about an hour ago."

"And they left you alone?" Claire asked in concerned, placing her bags to the side of the sofa.

"Yeah," Alec shrugged.

"It's half ten," Claire gasped, removing her coat as she flopped down on the sofa.

"And?" Alec shrugged again, sitting at the opposite end of the sofa.

"It's late! And your sister abandoned you for a mysterious man that left her still smoking in a hospital bed. That doesn't ring _I'm-a-trustful-and-responsible-member-of-the-community_ ," Claire argued.

Alec raised an eyebrow, "I think 'abandoned' is a bit of an over-reaction."

"He's a bad influence, that Doctor bloke. All that deception and time travel."

"I'm not denying that."

"Exactly!"

"But she trusts him," Alec counter-argued.

"And do you?" Claire asked.

Alec was caught off-guard. His answer was replaced with an expression of half-confusion and half-sorrow. The truth was that even he didn't know any more. After months, the Doctor had suddenly arrived and hadn't even said hello.

"Oh . . . Sorry," Claire muttered.

Alec drew in a deep breath. "No, it's fine. I must be _man_ struating," he joked, his smile quivering. "Delivered your presents to the Mbatha's?"

"Yeah. I gave them their presents earlier so they can put them in the stockings for their little ones."

Slowly, Claire slid along the sofa beside Alec. She looked in his brown eyes with hers, equally reddened. With one hand, she rubbed his shoulder. He swallowed, resisting the urge to spill his tears over her and barely succeeding.

"You know you can always talk to me?" Sasha reassured him. "Anything at all. Just text or give me a call. I understand you can't tell Sasha everything, but you should at least try to tell someone. I'm here. Auntie Claire."

Alec giggled to himself a little, masking whatever it was that threatened to transform him into a blubbering infant. "Thank you."

"My pleasure. Auntie Claire to the rescue," she smiled, pulling Alec in for a hug.

"This never happened," Alec joked, hugging her back. "Is my present in one of those bags?" Alec asked, moving out of the hug to gesture to Claire's bags.

"Yep," Claire replied. "A secret, of course. You'll have to wait until Christmas morning."

"What did you get for Sasha?"

"Shush. Secret," Claire teased. "Something I think she'll need and want at the same time. I hope she'll like it."

* * *

Claire stirred her cup of tea, slowly stepping towards the sofa. The fabric crunched a little as she eased herself down beside Alec – he'd fallen asleep. She placed her tea on the floor before clicking on the TV – anything to end the silence.

Softly, Alec coughed, spluttering and heaving. "How long was I asleep?" Alec coughed.

"Through the night," Claire replied.

"Oh, Jesus," Alex groaned. "My legs have gone dead."

"Feeling better then?"

"Yeah. Can you smell smoke?"

"Yeah, the flat's a bit singed. I tried making Christmas pudding. Bad idea."

"My sister's gonna kill you."

"Possibly yes."

* * *

Sasha stepped into the TARDIS. She stopped. A nauseating wave of déjà vu and sicking realisation of the surreal bigger-on-the-inside concept trapped her where she stood, her mouth limply open. There was something about the deep blue and orange lights that burrowed further into her eyes than usual, and the whirring mechanisms that echoed through her head.

"Come on. Use some pace, Sasha," the Doctor ushered, pushing past her to get to the console, flicking switches as he spun around it. "No time like the near future."

"Yeah. Sorry," Sasha muttered. She inhaled deeply, and exhaled deeply. "Ok. Tomorrow morning. London. The CyberTech Tower. I'm ready."

"Good. A bit quicker next time please," the Doctor rambled, swiping a lever, sending the TARDIS on a sharp jolt sideways. "There's some clothes down the corridor. Left, walk, left, right, forwards, down, second on the right."

"Christmas Eve," Sasha grinned.

"Yes. Keep up."

"I am. It's just getting used to this again. Time and space. I love it," Sasha grinned. The Doctor raised an eyebrow to her. "Left, walk, left, right, forwards, down, third on the right?"

"Second on the right," the Doctor corrected her.

Sasha laughed. "Sure. I won't be a minute. Let's go save Christmas!"

* * *

 _ **I hope you enjoyed that! If your concerned that there's not enough plot yet, don't worry, it'll start to kick in from the next chapter onwards - I just wanted to reintroduce characters and lay some groundwork. THANKS FOR READING!**_


	4. Part 4 - Breaking In

**_Hello! I hope you're enjoying this! This is where the story starts to kick in!_**

* * *

The Doctor and Sasha gazed up at the staggering height of the CyberTech Tower. Suited and styled for business, the Doctor and Sasha prepared themselves, ready for corporate battle. A cold breath whispered through the air, frosted with a light drizzle out snowflakes.

"Ready?" the Doctor asked.

"Ready," Sasha confirmed. "In fact, leave this to me. I've got a plan."

"Oh, really?" the Doctor grinned, raising an eyebrow.

Sasha pulled a small glass bottle of perfume from her pocket, lightly spraying her chest and untying her hair. "Just a little flirting to get us in."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand."

"I didn't think you would."

The two of them pushed open the large glass doors to the reception, stepping into the ground floor of the Tower. The entire room was glittering. Decorated from ceiling to floor with polished slate tiles and glass ornaments, with smooth silver handrails and large screens, flashing with advertisements and logos. The Doctor led Sasha towards the reception desk – a long chain of booths across the side of the room, each seating a uniformed, half-sleeping CyberTech employee.

The Doctor led Sasha to the end booth, where a baggy-eyed, messily-shaven man slouched back in his chair, spinning a pen through his fingers in boredom. The perfect mark.

"Hello!" Sasha gleamed, stepping towards the reception, pushing out her hips as she walked. "Hey, can you help me?" she pleaded, puckering her lips and fluttering her eyelashes.

When the receptionist saw her, his yes bulged. He nearly toppled as he slipped up onto his seat, sucking in his stomach and fastening his tie. "Yes, of course, Miss. Anything you like," he flirted.

"I like the sound of that," Sasha smiled, resting her head in her palms at the reception desk, face-to-face with the employee, battering her eyes at him. "I'm here to see Miss Rubens. You couldn't tell me and my colleague where to find her?"

"Oh, erm, I'm going to have to know why you're here. Do you have an appointment?" he asked.

"I'm here from the Beverly Newman Entrepreneur Awards to award Miss Rubens with the Beverly Newman Outstanding Businesswoman Award. It's a very high achievement," Sasha insisted.

"Ok. The Beverly Newman Awards you say . . ." the receptionist thought, beginning ton type at his computer.

"I would really appreciate it if you would tell us quickly!" Sasha panicked. "We are on a very tight deadline."

"Nevertheless, I'm going to have to check. Miss Rubens is very strict as to who's allowed to see her," he insisted.

Sasha turning back to the Doctor, her face clearly showing her panic. "Oh, are you thirsty. I sure am. If only a handsome man would buy me a drink," Sasha flaunted, waving her hair in front of the receptionist. He stopped typing immediately, his face dumbstruck was surprise.

"Oh . . . Are you talking to me?" the receptionist smiled.

"Well, what with your eighty four inch waist . . . And . . . Hairy chin and . . . Dorito scent, who else would I be talking to?" Sasha flustered, doing her best.

"Oh . . . That certainly would be a great Christmas present," the receptionist smiled. "Well, I'll just give Miss Rubens a call to say that you're here, Miss . . .?"

"Miss Parker, and that won't be necessary. I'd like to keep the element of surprise, Mr . . .?"

"Mr Jacobs. But you can call me Matt. Or, Sexy," Mr Jacobs flirted, winking at Sasha.

Immediately, gall caught in Sasha's throat. "I think I'll stick with Matt," she grinned, hiding a protruding grimace.

"Miss Rubens is on the seventy first floor. Turn to your right and go down the corridor," Mr Jacobs instructed. "But _us_ ; the Rose and Crown, seven o'clock. If the night's still young, maybe we could go to that new hotel . . ."

"Thank you!" Sasha cried, interrupting Mr Jacobs to avoid the eventual disgust as she hurried to the Doctor and out of Mr Jacob's earshot. "That was horrible!" she whispered.

"Good work. You should do that as you job," the Doctor joked.

"I physically feel sick!" Sasha groaned. "You are never getting me to do that again!"

"You volunteered. I had nothing to do with this," the Doctor pointed out.

Sasha frowned at the Doctor. "Stop being so clever! Is he still looking at me?"

The Doctor focused his gaze just past Sasha, where Mr Jacobs sat at his chair, chewy his pen seductively as his eyes flowed over Sasha. "Yes," the Doctor replied, supressing taunting laugh.

Sasha groaned, slapping the Doctor in the chest. "Floor seventy one. Come on. Stay too long and I'll end up married."

* * *

The door to the elevator pinged, rolled open as the Doctor and Sasha stepped out onto the corridor. On the left, the corridor was long, splintered off to other offices; on the right, the corridor was short, ending at a single metal, alarmed door. Miss Rubens' office. The Doctor held up the sonic, disabling the security cameras that surveyed the corridor.

"Just the other side of that door," Sasha stuttered.

"Come on then," the Doctor instructed, taking Sasha by the arm and leading her down the corridor.

"What do we do?" Sasha asked. "What do we do when we go in? What do we ask?"

"We start subtle, then find out whether she's planning an evil scheme," the Doctor replied.

"What if she calls security?"

"Victory in defeat, Sasha."

"But what if we get arrested, or worse?"

"Then we'll make a plan from there."

"Sure . . . Ok . . . I could get used to life in a cell."

The Doctor and Sasha reached the door. Sasha tried the handle, but it immediately transpired that it was locked, supposedly to be unlocked by the small screen at the side.

"What do we do?" Sasha wondered, reaching out to touch it.

"Stop!" the Doctor commanded, grabbing her hand. "Get the wrong passkey and you could set off an alarm."

"How do you even type a passkey?" Sasha wondered, watching the screen as a trail of letters and numbers and symbols scrolled past.

"That is the question exactly. Whatever you do, you don't touch it. You'd need an electric key. Something along the lines of an oyster card but much more complicated."

"What are those symbols? Some sort of language?"

"Yes. But not your usual language."

"French?"

"Much, much worse," the Doctor frowned.

"Now that's scary," Sasha gasped.

The Doctor pulled the sonic out from his pocket, aimed it at the small screen. "I'm right. This is Cyberman technology used to the lock the door. Give me a moment. If I can just . . ." And the door opened!

Slowly, a little scared, Sasha pushed the door open, stepping into the office.

The room was lit was a grey glow from the city outside. Each side was lined with bookcases, filled with files and wallets and every other form of documentation. Miss Rubens' desk sat in front of the large window, looking into the room. Not a single object was out of place – it was all in-line and symmetrical.

"Not even a stray mug of tea," Sasha pointed out, cautiously stepping further into the office.

"This isn't just tidy, this is meticulous," the Doctor frowned, hurrying up to the desk. "It's as if the spacing between the objects has been measured. And look! Not even a hair on the seat. No oily fingerprints on the keyboard . . ."

"And these files are empty," Sasha added, picking a file from the bookcase and flicking through it, revealing blank pages and empty plastic wallets.

"It's as if she was ever here, but she has! There are high heel marks leading to the door and a chair indent on the floor," the Doctor inspected.

Sasha muttered, "This is creepy. Ergh!" she cried, shivering. "Little being in a haunted house."

"The woman who never was . . ." the Doctor thought to himself.

"And who might that be?" a voice asked.

The Doctor and Sasha turned to face the door, dropping whatever they were holding. They looked up, blushing with trembling lips, to the woman at the door. Miss Rubens had arrived!

* * *

 _ **I hope you enjoyed that! Keep reading!**_


	5. Part 5 - An Unexpected Development

**_Hello, again! Sorry, I didn't post for a while, but was without internet on a school trip. Anyway, SUMMER! I'll keep posting as often as possible. Enjoy!_**

* * *

Police Constable Jameson gave his final nod to the camera, lowered his hat and left the interview, walking back with his head held high to the scene of the Whiteley's shooting. The entire corridor was sectioned off to the public, with the exception of a nosey reporter trying to sneak a photograph of the shattered glass and wreckage of the shopping centre. Men in white forensic clothes were photographing the scene whilst senior officers stood around jotting notes. Constable Jameson was proud. He had a right to be. He'd successfully disarmed a gunman in a public area without a single fatality, a day before Christmas. He would surely get the promotion he deserved.

"Well done, Jameson," Constable Price congratulated him, smiling her usual smile. "We should have more officers like you on the force."

"Oh, you don't have to," Jameson blushed.

"No, I really mean it. You've saved a lot of people for one more Christmas. Here. Have this on me," she smiled, handing Jameson a candy cane. "You deserve an early Christmas present."

Jameson was flattered, and a little awkward. "Thank you."

"I'll see you on Christmas Day then, right?" Price asked, walking away.

"I'm sorry?" Jameson inquired.

Price turned to face Jameson, "Mine. Christmas party. Christmas Day. Any time after EastEnders. Wear something Christmassy – a hat at least."

"Ok," Jameson nodded, "I'll see you there."

Jameson smiled to himself as Price left the crime scene. Just as she left, Jameson turned, facing a large man in a suit. It was Jameson's boss – the notoriously hard-to-get-along-with-or-bear-to-be-around Captain Rippon.

"So, sport. What's gone and happened here then?" Rippon asked, looking at Constable Jameson sternly.

Jameson nearly choked, so nervous around the man. He stood up tall, fixing up his uniform. "A gunman firing shots at the public. The entire shopping centre was evacuated by security. We apprehended the gunman. No civilian fatalities, but the gunman was injured. A bullet shot to the shoulder. The paramedics said he'll recover fully."

"And the press?"

"Well, a gunman opened fire in a shopping centre in the middle of the pre-Christmas shopping rush – the press have had a field day, but we are doing our best to keep them out. All official statements have gone through the Sergeant."

"Yes, I saw you on the news. Well spoken."

"Thank you, Sir."

"And when you and – Constable Spencer, was it? – apprehended the gunman, who exactly formulated the plan?"

"Well, that would be me, Sir. Just a standard plan but it was mainly the heat-of-the-moment."

"No need to beat yourself down, Constable. You did well. Very well considering the circumstances. In fact, so good that I have a proposition for you."

Jameson gleamed – a promotion? "And what would this proposition be, Sir?"

"Well," Rippon began, "I don't usual get involved in cases. I have a sort of pick-and-choose attitude – mysteries, hiests, serial murders; the sort of stuff that could make a good novel. The thing is, I want you to help me. I've assembled a small group of people from various departments; they continue their jobs as usual but assist me in cases that spark a certain interest. You've caught my attention today. Not just that you apprehended a culprit, but you stayed throughout the night to clean up the mess. And it's Christmas Eve! That shows the sort of commitment and attention to detail that I'm after. So what do you say? In or out?"

There was only ever one answer. "I'm in, Sir."

"Good, Constable. I'll be keeping an eye on you."

* * *

"What are you doing in my office?" Miss Rubens inquired, closing the door behind her, trapping the Doctor and Sasha in the room.

"Miss Rubens!" Sasha smiled, stepping towards her to shake her hand. "My colleague and I are so pleased to meet you! We are from Beverly Newman Entrepreneur Awards, and we are delighted to be awarding you with this year's Beverly Newman Outstanding Businesswoman Award. Congratulations!"

"You must be so pleased!" the Doctor added, clapping as he played along with Sasha's cover.

Miss Rubens refused to shake Sasha's hand. "Why are you looking through my items?"

"Because . . . Erm," Sasha stuttered.

Miss Rubens stepped towards Sasha, instilled fear straight through her. "Why won't you tell me who you are? One of these 'social-media-is-destroying-humanity' types? We get a lot of them. Journalists maybe?"

"You got us!" the Doctor cried. "Internet theorists. So tell us, what happens to peoples' minds when they are uploaded to CyberSocial?"

"Ah! Common misconception. CyberSocial just allows us to communicate with parts of the mind like never before. Their minds are still their property and we are not able to interfere with them. Perfectly legal," Miss Rubens clarified.

"But how can you be trusted with such valuable data? You could easily steal information from the mind of anyone. If you got into a politician's head you could cause chaos," the Doctor argued.

"But we would never dare of such a thing!" Miss Rubens gasped. "CyberSocial keeps its morals close to heart."

"You would have the whole world in the palm of your hand. You could even control what people do; how they behave."

"Such an event would be unethical."

"Not if the user was tricked into downloading hidden software with the app."

"The app has been scanned and checked by external companies due to the nature of it. You would presume they would've found something."

"Not if it was encrypted. Just like that symbols on the lock for your door."

"It would've been decrypted."

"Oh, but I doubt humans have the capability to decrypt . . . Cyber codes," the Doctor grinned.

Miss Rubens gave the Doctor a hard stare, understanding. "You know the Cybermen?" she asked.

"Search your data banks. I am the Doctor," the Doctor declared.

Suddenly, Miss Rubens stopped. She stopped moving, breath; just standing frozen as her eyes flashed with an eerie blue light.

Sasha's jaw hung. "What the hell?" she muttered.

Then Miss Rubens spoke, her voice now electronic. "Data for 'The Doctor' available on the Cyberiad Databanks. We know who you are. You must be upgraded."

Slowly, Miss Rubens transformed. Her entire body changed, splintering into pixel-like shapes, before morphing into a Cyberman!

"What is she?" Sasha gawped.

"A Cyberman. Monsters made from metal, desperate to upgrade any living creature to their Cyberiad," the Doctor explained.

"You mean, they turn people into them?" Sasha gasped in disgust.

"Exactly," the Doctor replied.

"But, Doctor, if CyberSocial launches, nearly the whole of the world will be under their control," Sasha realised. "And they launch CyberSocial tomorrow morning. Everyone'll just mindlessly download it, without a second's thought, and be uploaded. Millions of people will be under control before the EastEnders Christmas Special."

"Exactly. And the world will just fall into their grasp."

"CyberSocial will launch on Christmas Day. All will be upgraded," the Cyberman-Miss Rubens replied.

Knock, knock, knock! "Miss Rubens? You called for security but we can't get in. It's your passkey; we don't understand it and you haven't registered a backup."

"When did she call security?" Sasha wondered.

"I am directly linked to the building's computer system," Miss Rubens replied, having turned back into her human, red-haired form. "Come on in! Quickly!" she called, faking fear.

The office door swung open as three large men in black padded uniforms, carrying guns, entered the room, pointing their weapons at the Doctor and Sasha. The Doctor and Sasha jumped back in both surprise and fear as bright lights were aimed at their faces.

"They're intruders," Miss Rubens informed her security. "Social media activists! Take them to the usual drop off."

"The usual drop off?" the Doctor inquired.

"We have a . . . A place we send the people who make too much noise. And well done, Doctor! You've made the cut. You made the cut years back," Miss Rubens grinned. "Cuff them."

"Woah! Wait!" the Doctor cried, pulling Sasha back as the security guards approached. "You lay a finger on her, oh, I dare you! Don't you dare thing we are that easy to brush under the carpet!"

Sasha grinned inside herself – the Doctor had noticed the wink she'd given him, and he'd understood the plan. As the Doctor rambled, distracting the guards, Sasha pulled her phone from her pocket, concealing it as she began to text behind her back.

 _Emergency! Track my GPS sashaparker123 emily231103._

* * *

"Ooh!" Claire cried, jumping as her phone buzzed in her pocket. "I've got a message."

"Hallelujah," Alec joked. "Come on then, what does it say?"

"'Emergency! Track my GPS sashaparker123 emily231103'. What does that mean?" Claire wonder. "Your sister doesn't half send me some rubbish."

"We need to go!" Alec announced, understanding the message.

"Why?" Claire wondered.

"She'll be with the Doctor and they're in danger. Real, proper, life and death danger. We'll take your bike," Alec decided, pulling Claire to the front door of the flat.

"My bike? Where are we even going?" Claire panicked.

"That was Sasha's email and password. I can track her using the GPS on her phone so we can go after her," Alec explained, opening the door and pulling Claire out into the corridor.

"Seriously? We're going on a motorbike chase through London?" Claire gasped. "You can't be serious! You definitely can't be serious!"

* * *

 _ **I hope you enjoyed that! Will post again soon! Keep review! :D**_


	6. Part 6 - The Chase

_**The chase is on! Will Alec and Claire save The Doctor and Sasha in time? I hope you enjoy this!**_

* * *

"Where are we going?" Claire asked, strapping her helmet into place and pulling on her leather biker gloves.

"Erm, give me a moment," Alec mumbled, glancing at the screen on Claire's phone as the search for Sasha's phone continued.

Claire stepped towards her motorbike, a large blue, shining beauty. She flicked on the engine, stepping into place, adjusting the mirrors. "Quick as you can."

"Got it!" Alec cried. "The CyberTech Tower."

"Helmet," Claire instructed, handing Alec a helmet as he got himself behind Claire, wrapping his hands around her waist.

"Ready?" Alec asked, bubbling with excitement.

"Yes," Claire replied, a little nervous as she got the motor running.

"Let's go!" Alec cheered as the two of them swerved out of the estate in a flash of blue.

* * *

The blue motorbike swerved through the city, a knife carving through butter. Alec cried and laughed as Claire panicked a little at the front, half-sure whether to implement Alec's calls of 'Keep going!'

"I really don't think we should be going this fast!" Claire called over the revving of the engine.

"We need to help Sasha and the Doctor! Turn left!" Alec replied.

Claire groaned, swerving the motorbike to the left, clipping the pavement.

"You can't do this to us!" Sasha complained, kicking and yelling as she and the Doctor were dragged out of the CyberTech Tower into a back street, manhandled by the guards.

"Don't waste your energy, Sasha, screaming won't help," the Doctor insisted.

"No way! I won't be dragged off like this!" Sasha cried.

"Take them somewhere unpleasant. Leave them at the side of a road or in it if prefered," Miss Rubens grinned as the Doctor and Sasha were loaded into the back of a van.

"You cow!" Sasha yelled, kicking Miss Rubens in the waist.

Miss Rubens groaned, over-run with anger. "Execute them once you get out the city. They're too much trouble."

"You will fail!" the Doctor warned with a hiss. "We'll stop you. CyberSocial will never launch!"

Miss Rubens just shrugged off the Doctor's warning, almost smiling. "Happy Christmas. Take them away. And cuff them."

The guards slammed the van doors shut, trapping the Doctor and Sasha in darkness, broken partially by thin slits in the metal. A pair of soldiers dragged the Doctor and Sasha opposite each other, bound their hands with handcuffs and locked them against the walls of the van, unable to reach each other. As soon as the guards left, the engine revved and the van began to move.

"Quick!" the Doctor whispered, shuffling towards Sasha, "Take the sonic!"

"Which pocket?" Sasha asked, shuffling as close to the Doctor as she could.

"This one," the Doctor replied, shaking his breast pocket towards Sasha awkwardly.

"I can't pick it out, my hands are caught," Sasha argued.

"Use your teeth," the Doctor insisted.

Sasha raised her eyebrows.

* * *

"Woah! Wait! They're moving!" Alec called over the wind that whipped past them.

"Where?" Claire shouted back.

"I'm not so sure. They're moving. Turn right!"

Claire sharply jolted the motorbike to the right, bouncing over a kerb with a scream as they skidded onto a small road, passing fancy Italian cafés and warm aired bistros.

"Go left. Not now! The second left!"

"This really isn't helpful!"

"Turn!"

"What?"

"Now!" cried Alec, having to reach over to the handles himself to steer the motorbike, narrowly missing tourists and businessmen as they swerved on a lively alley, full of Christmas markets, fragrant with cinnamon and churros, steaming with soups and the glowing of fairy lights.

* * *

"Got it yet!" the Doctor groaned in pain as he stretched his arms to get closer to Sasha.

"Nearly!" Sasha whined, pulling and heaving to get as close as she could.

Suddenly, the van spun to the left as it turned a corner a little too sharp. The Doctor was flung outwards, across the van as he was stretched out. Sasha, on the other hand was flung against the wall of the van, sliding as she was crunched into a ball. As the screaming subsided, they were then bumped back into their normal positions, bouncing into the air before sharply smacking back into onto the floor.

"Sasha! Get it!" the Doctor called.

"What?" Sasha cried, looking about frantically, then eventually, watching as the sonic scattered out of the Doctor's pocket and rolled across the floor to the other end of the van.

* * *

"Second exit!" Alec announced.

"On what?" Claire asked.

"This!" Alec cried.

Then Claire screamed. The motorbike bounced into the midst of a roundabout, greeted by the beeping horns of cars and flaring of yellow headlights. Instinctively, Claire pulled the bike to the right, steering clockwise around it as she and Alec were flung to a side. At the second exit, she straightened up the bike and headed back down a normal path, motorists still jeering and swearing behind her.

"Woah!" Sasha gasped.

"That was amazing!" Alec cried.

* * *

The van ground to a halt, stopping at a pair of red lights. Still propelled, the sonic was flung to the other side of the van. The Doctor and Sasha groaned, stretching out their legs to try and catch it, but the sonic bounced over and under them.

"Damn it!" the Doctor cried in frustration.

"Hold on, I might be able to get it from here," Sasha laughed, reaching her feet out.

Claire slowed down, reaching a set of traffic lights on amber.

"What are you doing?" Alec cried. "Keep going!"

"I have enough driving points as it is," Claire was adamant.

"We have to save Sasha and the Doctor," Alec insisted. He watched the red light he'd been chasing on Claire's phone. They were nearly there.

The lights flickered red.

"Go!" Alec cried, reaching over to the handle bars, revving the engines in Claire's protest. The bike slid forwards, cutting through the traffic. As the passed they lights, the traffic from either side of them surged forwards in a wave. Alec pleaded for the bike to go faster.

A van pulled out.

A large black van with a CyberTech logo on the side of it.

It would be too late!

Claire swerved the bike to a side as the van sharply turned away. With the van already tilted, Claire's bike collided parallel with it! Claire and Alec leapt from the bike, tumbling across the ground into sharply halting traffic as the bike was slammed into the van, spinning through the air as it toppled over the side, skidding to a sparking stop on the other side after smashing through a café's window.

The van, already tilted and now hit by the bike, toppled over on a side, skidding to a stop in front of oncoming traffic!

* * *

Suddenly, the Doctor and Sasha were flung to a side. The entire van tipped, falling over with Sasha hanging in the air, holding onto her handcuffs, and the Doctor on his back on the floor. Sasha groaned, having to pull herself up, making her arms and abs scream, to avoid her shoulder from being dislocated. The Doctor staggered to his feet, having to lean to a side as his handcuffs restrained him.

"Hurry, Doctor!" Sasha cried.

The Doctor could see the sonic and it wasn't too far. He stepped on it, pulling it closer to him. With his shoe, he pressed the button, and the van doors flipped open, crashing ungracefully into the ground. The Doctor tried to aim the sonic at either his or Sasha's handcuffs, but he just couldn't manoeuvre it that well.

"Hurry!" Sasha pleaded.

It was at that point that Alec staggered into the back of the van, tattered and bruised yet still standing. Immediately, he turned to the Doctor. The Doctor looked back at him. For a long moment, the air lay still and silent, not one sound nor a movement. Then, eventually, Alec nodded.

"Merry Christmas," he said plainly.

The Doctor nodded back. "And to you too."

"You left me at that hospital. You didn't come back," Alec shrugged. "And Shannon left me to. Are you going to leave again?"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Is now really the best time?"

Then, out-of-the-blue, Alec smiled. He jumped to the Doctor, wrapping his arms around him. "You saved all of our lives that day, and most of all you saved my sister. Thank you, Doctor. Have a brilliant Christmas." Alec pulled away, still grinning as the Doctor held his confused expression.

"Erm, a little help here," Sasha begged.

"Oh, yeah, right," Alec remembered, pulling the sonic off the floor, unlocked Sasha's handcuffs and holding her so she didn't just fall to the floor. "What on Earth are you wearing?" Alec asked, surprised by Sasha's skirt and blouse.

"Long story," Sasha replied, finding her feet.

Claire stumbled into the van. "Oh my God . . . It's you . . . The Doctor."

"Good observation," the Doctor smiled, then immediately dropped back into his frown. "We need to go, right now. I can't be doing with the police."

"Oh, Jesus!" Claire cried. "I am dead when then realise that was my bike."

"Don't worry, I'll sort it all out," the Doctor assured Claire as Alec unlocked him. "We'll have to go on foot."

"Not the best in a skirt," Sasha frowned.

"I'm fine for a bit of a jog," Alec shrugged.

"Ok then, let's go!" the Doctor smiled, taking his companions by the hand and leading them out into the crowded, panicking street, running past cars and watchers. A couple of people tried to stop the Doctor and his companions, asking if they were alright and what the hell was going on, but they were overlooked as they continued on - disappearing into the Christmas lighting and distant carollers.

* * *

 _ **I hope you liked that! Please review. Next Time: Claire VS The Doctor**_


	7. Part 7 - Claire VS The Doctor

_**Ok, so it's the first time Claire meets The Doctor, and it's time she made some things clear. I hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

After their legs gave way, their lungs heaved for fresh winter air and their cheeks blossomed red, the Doctor, Sasha, Alec and Claire stopped, panting as they rested on a quiet, shop lined street. Trees were billowed, bared and crystallising in the air in the park opposite where they had stopped, the cold splintering into them.

"Oh my God," Claire panted, stepping away from the rest of the group. "So this is what you do? The crazy lot of you! You chase the bad guys – you don't care how dangerous it is you just jump straight in and hope for a half-decent result?"

"Every day of the week," the Alec grinned.

"Well, that's just . . ." Claire cried, trailing of her sentence in pure confusion and uncertainty. "I don't know but you're mad! That's all I know! You should all be carted off to some institute. I nearly died then. We all did! And people saw! The police will've been called and an ambulance and reporters . . . They'll know I was there. I don't want to be involved. I could lose my job."

"Woah! Calm down," Alec insisted.

"For God's sake; you're only fifteen and already you've been in a motorbike chase. What is wrong with you?!" Claire gasped.

"Most things," Alec joked.

"Christ!" Claire heaved. "I need a coffee. I've not even had my breakfast yet."

"Come on," Sasha ushered then, walking along the street, "there's a café just over here. What could be more Christmassy than a full English for your lunch?"

The café was a typical, slightly grimy, slightly smelly, plastic tabled little place along the street with neon coloured post-its in the window advertising any friable form of breakfast. The table was a little sticky, but even still the Christmas-Pop music kept the atmosphere light, and even the scent of coffee covered whatever scent it was from the toilet.

"So what's going on? A CyberTech van – what's that about?" Alec asked.

"It's the Cybermen. You haven't met them before but they are bad – up there with the Daleks," the Doctor began.

"Yeah. There's this woman - Miss Rubens – who's heading CyberSocial. But she's not a woman. She's this metal, robot, man thing," Sasha explained.

"Oh, so just a bit of a nuisance then," Alec frowned.

"They've taken over CyberTech, that or made it, which I wouldn't be surprised by. They've got control over CyberSocial, and when it launches they're going to use it to control the minds and souls of anyone and everyone who has an account. They could cause havoc! If they wanted, they would have power to control the world, but it's worse than that."

"How could it be worse than that?" Alec asked.

The Doctor paused a moment. "They'll convert the entire planet into Cybermen. You saw Miss Rubens, Sasha – they'll turn everyone into copies of her. Metal men with no emotions, no hearts, no free thought. Just like humanity any other day but controlled by them."

"Thanks," Claire said, rolling her eyes.

"Excuse me?"

"No offence meant, but who exactly are you? You just appeared into the world one day – the same day that my best friend was laid down half-dead in my emergency department. And now you're back, out of the blue, and the world is turning to hell! Is that what you do, Doctor? Do you just drag around trouble like a bad smell? Well, answer me!"

The Doctor just frowned, then turned to Sasha. "I don't like your friend all too much and moreover I don't think I want to. It's all gob with her isn't it. Where did you find her? You should look somewhere else next time for better companions."

"Who are you?" Claire snapped. "Just a grumpy guy with a box that goes on dangerous adventures. And the way you act, with that laser pen sonic thing, I doubt you're even from here. Like you're not even human."

"Exactly. I'm not human. I'm a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey."

"And so? You may as well be Dave from the pet shop."

It was at that moment that the waitress stepped beside their table, a blob of gum wedged between her teeth and a filthy apron. She wore a large red Father Christmas hat, almost ironically with such a dull, non-festive expression. "I've got a full English and a club sandwich. I'll bring the rest soon," she mumbled, handing Sasha and the Doctor their meals before swaggering off.

Immediately, Claire snatched the Doctor's sandwich from under his eager eyes, pulled it to herself, and chewed it before the Doctor's irritated expression. "So, Time Lord, why should I trust you? Why should any of us trust you?"

Even Sasha and Alec were looking up now, no longer transfixed in the argument but now genuinely wondering what the Doctor had to say.

"Because you don't have a choice," the Doctor replied. "Everyone on this planet is in danger, and no-one but me can stop it falling into the hands of the Cybermen. I may disappear and reappear, off on another adventure, but for this Christmas I'm staying – I'm staying to save you. Got that, Claire?"

Claire took another chomp on the sandwich. "Just one last thing – why did you leave? The way I see it, you left your two best friends on their own – one fragile and the other barely alive. What kind of a trustful man does a thing like that?"

"Some salad thing and curry," the waitress grunted, reappearing somehow more sarcastic and grumpy than before. "Whose is whose then? I'm not flipping psychic."

Alec took the curry from the waitress, leaving the Doctor to take Claire's salad in disappointment.

"Who's paying?" the waitress snapped, handing out a receipt and credit card reader.

"One for the Time Lord, I think," Claire suggested with a grin.

"I don't carry money," the Doctor snapped.

"What a surprise?" Claire groaned, rolling her eyebrows.

"Ergh!" Sasha groaned, rummaging through her pocket. "I guess I'll pay then, if it's stops you two from killing each other," Sasha decided, forcing her money into the waitress' hand. "Keep the change."

"If it suits ya," she shrugged, wandering away to her magazine.

"And for what it's worth," Sasha began, "I can trust the Doctor. We can all trust the Doctor. What right do we have to say when he goes and when he stays? When I'm in danger, I know he'll be there. But now that we're on the subject: why did you leave? Why have you only just come back?"

The Doctor was shocked silent. ". . . Sorry, I'm confused. Did you want me to answer that?"

"Yes. Now. If you don't mind," Sasha grinned.

The Doctor groaned. "Trust that I hold the two of you dearly with every fibre in my body. But don't ask me to explain myself. It's not your place."

"Good recovery from the cringe," Alec joked.

"But I'm back. And I will be leaving again, but this time I'm taking you two with me. The old team back together. First, however, we need to defeat the Cybermen," the Doctor smiled.

"And how are we going to do that?" Sasha asked.

"You're talking about taking down the whole of CyberSocial. That's gonna take some work," Alec frowned.

"Do any of you have an account yet?" the Doctor wondered.

"No," Sasha and Alec replied. "I didn't like the sound of it. I've never really been into social media anyway," Sasha added.

"I have it," Claire answered. "It's here," she said, taking out her phone, unlocking it, then opening out the desktop to reveal a small grey icon with the CyberSocial logo. "When you get an account you get send the app, but you can't do anything with it until the Christmas Day launch. It saves the network from crashing with everyone downloading at once."

"Just what I need," the Doctor smiled, taking Claire's phone and inspecting the app. The Doctor removed his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and flourished it over the phone with an alien green light. "Aha!" he cried. "Just as I thought. Cyber codes hidden under your everyday computer code – indecipherable files and computer programs ready to be activated."

"But you can get past them, right? Like you did with Miss Rubens' door," Sasha recalled.

"Exactly. But I'll have to be careful. Trigger the app early and it might set them all off, let Miss Rubens find our location, I don't know. I'll give it a try," the Doctor said.

"Just be careful, alright," Claire pleaded, distrusting the Doctor's mad-scientist gleam to the phone.

"No promises," the Doctor mumbled, too occupied. "Aha! Got you now," he suddenly announced, grinning as he pulled the sonic away from the phone, watching alien symbols appear across the screen. "Just as I thought. As soon as the app is activated, the mind is effectively controlled by CyberTech."

* * *

"Where are they?" Miss Rubens snapped, snarling at one of her trembling guards in her office. She was scary enough on an ordinary day.

"There was a crash with a motorbike. They've escaped," the guard replied.

"Escaped to where?"

"We don't no. We've tried the CCTV but we've lost them."

"Well done! Never leave a human to do anything involving brain work I say," she snapped.

Then the beeping started – a repetitive hum. Miss Rubens' eyes sparked. "One moment," she insisted, rushing to her computer. A message flashed on her screen:

 _Unlicensed CyberSocial connection established._

"Is there a problem, Miss Rubens?" the guard inquired.

"Yes," Miss Rubens snapped, "but not for you. I can deal with this myself."

* * *

"So how do we stop that happening?" Sasha asked.

"We can use the programming against them. We need to make a virus"

"Yes, but how? Whatever you're going to do, you need to get it onto every phone with CyberTech downloaded."

"Ok, well in that case we'll have to change the programming of CyberSocial itself. Get the virus throughout the system."

"But how do you do that?" Alec inquired.

"Well, I've got a plan. But this launch, where's it taking place?"

"The BT Tower. They'll be launching CyberSocial in the morning at the top floor," Sasha reminded the Doctor, scooping up a fork-full of beans and hash brown.

"Good. That'll give me a whole night to work on the virus," the Doctor considered.

"To the TARDIS?" Alec grinned.

"Good plan," Sasha agreed, scooping the remnants of her meal into her mouth and jumping out of her seat, pulling Alec with her. "Come on."

"But I've not finished my sandwich," the Doctor grumbled, swiftly pulling his meal from under Claire's nose, swapping it with her salad. "Out paced by a thousand year old – do keep up."

"Well I've got a key."

"You don't know where I parked."

"It's parked on the road by the estate. I could see it from my window," Alec replied.

"Cool. We'll be on our way then," Sasha grinned, stepping to the door. "Come on, Claire!"

Claire didn't move. Sasha stopped before the door, then turned to her best friend. "No. No, I don't think I will," Claire frowned. "I'm sorry, Sasha, but I can't get involved any more. For God's sake, I just publicly smashing up my bike after crashing into a van, I'm not gonna break into the BT Tower at the biggest launch event of my lifetime!"

Sasha hesitated a moment, then pulled up a chair beside Claire. "This is what we do all day, everyday. I trust the Doctor, and you should, because we will have saved the world. Forget your job and the bike – this is a chance no-one else will ever get."

Claire raised her eyebrows and stiffened her lip. "I love my job, Sasha, so don't presume I'll give it up like you and your failed police career. And I don't think I'll ever trust the Doctor," Claire argued, giving Sasha a last smile before leaving the café.

"Claire!" Alec called, stepped out to stop Claire, but she was already down the street.

"Ergh!" Sasha groaned, collapsing her head against the table in frustration.

"To the TARDIS?" the Doctor suggested, chewing his sandwich.

"Definitely," Sasha sighed. "Merry Christmas."

* * *

 _ **I hope you enjoyed that! So, next time, the fight begins to defeat the Cybermen, and Alec has a present for The Doctor...**_


	8. Part 8 - The Fight Begins

_**SO, this is where the end begins for this story! Time to take the fight to the CyberTech Tower! As always, keep reading and reviewing!**_

* * *

"I still don't like the round things," Alec joked, stepping into the TARDIS, followed by the Doctor and his sister. "You don't like change much, do you."

"How long will it take to make this virus?" Sasha asked, closing the doors as the Doctor wondered down to the bottom level of the console room.

"It'll be done by the morning," the Doctor replied, rummaging about beneath Sasha's feet.

"But there's no concept of night and day in here."

"Then take a guess," the Doctor answered, reappearing with a box full of objects – wires and clamps and toggles and … an apple, which was quickly discarded, narrowly missing Alec's head. "These should suffice." Immediately, the Doctor took the box to the upper floor of the console room, sat at a desk, and began hammering together odds-and-ends.

"Does this mean we get our rooms back then?" Sasha asked.

The room feel silent, the air as thick as tar.

"Well, that is if we're going back to how things were. That is what's happening right? Yeah, of course it is!" Sasha rambled, unsure of where to go. "Sorry, it's just that I really need to sleep."

The Doctor watched Sasha for a moment, noticing how she was obviously unsure about the situation and where and if she would cross a line. "Yeah. Same room. It may not necessarily be in the same place but have a look about."

"Ok...Great," Sasha smiled awkwardly, before leaving to room and down the corridor.

Once again, the room fell silent – the occasional click of metal as the Doctor worked on his device, leaving Alec alone around the console.

"I got you a present, you know," Alec stuttered from the bottom of the stairs.

Metal clanged as the Doctor placed down his equipment, his back still to Alec. "I don't go for presents."

"Fine, well I could just bin it if it doesn't mean that much," Alec suggested.

"Well, I suppose if you've gone to all the trouble … I suppose you could give it to someone else instead."

"Fine, I'll just keep it then."

"Good. You do that."

"I will."

"Is this how the conversation's going to go now – just in circles?"

"No. I'm gonna let you get on with your software and programming, Time Geek, and I'm gonna go and Christmas."

"And Christmas?"

"Yeah, it's what people do at Christmas. Mince pies, Band Aid, tinsel, general jolliness, that sort of thing. Why even are you hammering all those things together?"

"I need to make a virus."

"I'm from two thousand and four but even I know that that's a software thing."

"But I need the hardware too. Imagine you have all the skills to make porridge, but then you don't have oats."

"Who eats porridge?"

"Alec, are you going to question me all night, or are you going to do something?"

"Questioning you is something, but fine," Alec sat back in a seat, "you know that the police won't dare come after us after the crash. You don't need to waste any more time questioning how to get us out of more trouble."

"Who says I wasn't."

"Don't lie to me, your eyebrows give it all away."

"Go on then. How come we're safe all of a sudden?"

"I was an agent, remember. Secret services don't make a fuss because they don't want to be caught out. They can't risk threatening my identity, so they'll sweep the crash under the carpet and lie through their teeth. They can't do it all the time though. If I threaten them, or I dunno – kill someone – then there's nothing they can do. If it's high profile, it's my problem."

"Makes sense. Humans. Always finding the easy option out."

"Well, we weren't going to pick the harder option were we." Alec sighed with a smile.

"So tell me," the Doctor began, taking a screwdriver to a set of bolts and wire, "why didn't you tell Claire or Sasha about this get-out-of-jail-free card?"

Alec sighed. "Because they need to realise that this – travelling in the TARDIS – has consequences. Claire definitely does now that she thinks her job's at risk, but I'm not convinced about Sasha. She was hospitalised for months, then jumps back in here like nothing's happened."

"And you think it's up to you to set everyone right?"

"I dunno . . . Yeah, I guess. If no-one else will."

"And I thought your sister was the control freak."

"I'll leave it to you," Alec smiled, leaving the console room.

* * *

"I want a car. Now!" Miss Rubens snarled.

"There'll be one within five minutes," Matt Jacobs, the Dorito scented receptionist, replied, following Miss Rubens down the central stairs of the CyberTech Tower.

"Forget five minutes, I want it now. CyberSocial launches in the morning and I want the entire top floor converted so that nothing gets in the way," Miss Rubens insisted.

"Yes, of course," Matt stuttered, "we'll get someone to hurry the cars along and . . . Sorry, but did you say _converted_?"

"Yes. I think I must've," Miss Rubens smiled turning to Matt, whose face was frozen in a distorted expression of confusion. "And I think I'll start with you."

… A piercing wail echoed down the stairs.

* * *

"It is done!" the Doctor cried.

"What?" Sasha groaned, stumbling down to the console.

"The virus is complete," the Doctor explained, flinging switches with a quick flick of his wrist – above them dials turned, setting the TARDIS into motion.

"To the morning then," Sasha smiled.

"Urgh!" the Doctor suddenly cried, smacking the console with the palm of his hand.

"What's wrong, Doctor?" Alec wondered.

"We can't land!" the Doctor cried in frustration, the veins in his head growing increasingly prominent.

"Why can't we land?" Sasha inquired.

"The top floor isn't letting us in!"

"How can a whole floor be TARDIS-proof?"

"Well, I suppose the Cybermen must've worked out some things out after years of combat against each other."

"Then land a floor below. We can fight our way up," Alec suggested.

"Fight our way against the Cybermen? An old woman, a kid and a dashing young man?" the Doctor frowned.

"Well, remember that this dashing young man knows a thing or two about combat," Alec grinned.

"And this kid was a serving police officer," Sasha added.

"I'm noticing a lot of past tense verbs here . . . Hold on. Who are you calling an old woman?!" the Doctor bickered.

"Land, Doctor," Sasha ordered. "Time to show you what companions are made of."

* * *

With a valiant groan, the TARDIS materialised into existence - it's bright white lights fading. The thirty sixth floor of the building opened out into a large room. Carpet floors, ovular chairs, cold coffee mugs, large glass windows overlooking the city far out into the distance. Tinsel lined the rooms and cinnamon candles burned out into black soot – an office ghost Christmas.

"Well . . . Isn't this a great way to spend Christmas morning," Alec joked, grimacing slightly at the chilling sight.

Sasha observed the room – it was cold and grey. Out in the distance, Christmas lights were strung in the frost, yet not a single glimmer of cheer in the building. It was as if the room had been in full life, yet every sense of life had disappeared. Chairs out of alignment with tables, coffee cups cold and half-full, blazers strewn over furniture . . . And a pale flesh figure . . .

"Is that . . ." Sasha stuttered. "Is that a hand?"

The Doctor and Alec focused their vision where Sasha gestured. She was right – a ghostly pale hand was slumped over the back of a chair, a pair of high-heeled legs sliding out from beneath the unseen body.

"Hello? . . . Are you alright?" Sasha asked, stepping towards the woman in the chair.

"Careful, Sasha," the Doctor warned.

"Are you ok? Speak to me," Sasha stuttered, tapping the woman's hand – cold.

With ease, the woman slumped back out of the chair, flopping onto her knees, yet keeping her torso upright and her head to her chest. For a moment the room stood silent, watching the woman as she gently rocked like a rag doll. Then – almost robotically – she rose to her feet, her head and arms still loosely waving to the floor. And then her head snapped up.

A blue light shone from her eyes. Half her face was fused to wire and metal in an intricate circuit board design.

With a fierce jolt, she slumped forwards, taking her first steps, eyes piercingly fixed on the Doctor and his companions.

"Everybody back! Back!" the Doctor cried, pulling Sasha behind him.

"Look at her! She can barely keep her head up."

"Doctor," Sasha interrupted, yanking at the Doctor's arm, "look."

Behind the slumped woman, men and women in business attire began to crawl from off of the floor and behind chairs, stumbling onto their feet. Their heads remained slumped, but nevertheless the room was still glowing with an eerie blue light.

"Are these the Cybermen?" Alec wondered, his eyes flitting from person to person.

"No. These people . . . I don't know . . . What would you say Doctor?" Sasha explained.

"Part converted," the Doctor suggested. "Still dangerous so be careful."

Suddenly, every head turned to face the three of them.

"Ok. That doesn't seem like a good sign," Sasha worried.

"Top floor. Ignore them. Come on," the Doctor instructed, turning around as he ushered Sasha and Alec out the room.

The stopped.

Well, not stepped. Trapped!

The Doctor, Sasha and Alec looked around them – office workers surrounded them, their heads slouched, walking as if they were zombies, with their eyes glowing an eerie blue.

And they stepped. Closer! And closer!

Surrounding the Doctor and his companions.

* * *

 _ **Ok, I lied, you'll have to wait a little longer to find out what this present is, but it will be worth it! PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you :)**_


	9. Part 9 - Launch Day

_**It's Launch Day! CyberSocial about to launch...And time is running out for The Doctor, Sasha and Alec to stop it! Please review! :D**_

* * *

"Good morning, Britain, and welcome to Christmas!"

"Isn't it lovely?"

"It's beautiful out, Bill. What a great day!"

"Whether you've just opened you're stocking or tucking into a large Christmas breakfast, I'm sure the festive spirit is coating the nation, much like the snow we're expecting – fingers crossed!"

"Later today, Benedict Cumberbatch will be specially reading extracts of Charles Dicken's 'A Christmas Carol'. We'll have the explosive EastEnders Christmas special, celebrations from Trafalger Square and, of course, the Queen's speech – live from Buckingham Palace – throughout today on the BBC!"

"And, at eleven, we'll be broadcasting the live launch of CyberSocial – it is going to be revolutionary!"

"Yes, it really is! We'll be back at eleven, live from the BT Tower, but for now, 'It's a Wonderful Life'!"

* * *

"Get down!" the Doctor cried.

Sasha and Alec dived to the floor.

The Doctor held out a small metal device ion his hand, and pressed it. Suddenly, the army of zombie workers stopped – then they fell to the floor.

"What was that?" Sasha stuttered, rising to her feet.

"The virus against the Cybermen. I thought it might work on, well, Cyberpuppets?" the Doctor explained.

"Come on. Top floor!" Alec started, pushing past the Cyberpuppets towards the stairs. The others followed.

* * *

The top floor. Silence.

The room was set up to fully publicise the launch – banners, posters, boards covered in slogans and concept images of the CyberSocial app. Miss Rubens stood against the large glass walls, opening out onto the vast expanse of the city, posed in front of a series of cameras. The camera crew, just like the office workers, had their heads slumped, barely keeping balance – a ghost crew.

The clock struck ten fifty nine.

"Good morning, Britain!" Miss Rubens grinned to the camera. "I hope you're enjoying your Christmas so far. In under a minute now, CyberSocial will be launching. You can probably see a countdown on your screens now . . ."

"Whatever you're going to do, do it quickly," Alec whispered to the Doctor at the door to the room.

The Doctor held up the small metal device, "Whatever happens, link this to that box there," he pointed to a large boxed-shaped device the cameras were wired into. "We need to transmit this virus whatever it takes. Ready?"

Sasha and Alec nodded.

"Now!"

The Doctor, Sasha and Alec burst into the room! Immediately, the TV crew stepped towards them - their pale, waxy faces portraying a ghostly menace through the dead expressions. The Doctor and his companions weaved their way through the Cyberpuppets. The Doctor, trapped, passed the virus device to Sasha, which she threw to Alec, who dived under a canapé table to avoid entrapment, then back to Sasha, then to the Doctor.

They had done it! The Doctor inserted the device into the camera equipment!

Silence.

Pause.

The Cyberpuppets froze!

All the screens in the room, and across the country, were flooded with a string of numbers – the virus!

Then it stopped! The numbers disappearing.

The wide smiles of success withdrew from the Doctor and his companions, diffusing into the cold air. All the numbers on the TV screens switched back to Miss Rubens, still poised, unnerved, in front of the London skyline. Simultaneously, the Cyberpuppets were drawn back into their unconscious, zombie-like states. And then – in complete unison:

"Upgrade in progress!"

"What?" Sasha stuttered, stepping back from the Cyberpuppets as they thrust their arms outwards, threateningly. "You said that would work, Doctor!"

"We upgraded, Doctor," Miss Rubens grinned to the Doctor, momentarily breaking the Woman of the Year façade she played for the cameras, "and so will the world." She stared straight down the camera lens – the world looking back at her down the very same lens – then announced: "Launch CyberSocial!"

The Doctor, Sasha and Alec looked to each other, then out across the city as dread set in.

* * *

A family at Christmas. Laughing. Exchanging presents. Then the children stopped. Their chins sinking to their chests as their heads dropped. Silence. Then they looked up, staring blankly at the nearest TV screen – watching Miss Rubens.

* * *

A young couple – first Christmas in their new flat. As he carried a tray of coffee and toast to his girlfriend, they stopped. The tray dropped to the floor. Their chins sinking to their chests as their heads dropped. Silence. Then they looked up, staring blankly at the nearest TV screen – watching Miss Rubens.

* * *

A group of elderly friends, drinking early and playing cards. Mid-hand, a couple of them stopped. They dropped their cards. Their chins sinking to their chests as their heads dropped. Silence. Then they looked up, staring blankly at the nearest TV screen – watching Miss Rubens.

* * *

A hospital. Busy. Packed. Doctors and nurses and patients hurrying through corridors, feigning smiles and laughs. And they stopped. Over half of the hospital's population simply stopped – some falling, too weak to stand. Their chins sinking to their chests as their heads dropped. Panic. Then they looked up, staring blankly at the nearest TV screen – watching Miss Rubens.

* * *

"RUN!" the Doctor cried. "OUT, OUT, OUT!"

Sasha and Alec turned to head for the door as the Doctor was grabbed by the cameraman. Immediately, they were stopped in their tracks, cornered by producers and stage managers! Whatever way Sasha turned, more and more Cyberpuppets were converging on her. Trapped. Alec was able to escape, diving between legs and over tables to escape.

He reached the door – his body urged him to run but his mind forced him to stopped. He turned back, facing into the room as his sister and best friend were trapped.

"Just go!" Sasha screamed at him. She'd turned pale from fear. Jewels of sweat over her face.

Alec didn't want to but he had to. He had to go.

And without turning back, he ran. Down the stairs. Leaping over steps as he descended the building – running for his life.

* * *

Claire closed the front door – exhausted. In front of her, a large step of stairs, leading to all the other flats in the building, crudely lit with fairy lights and a small plastic tree on the landing. Then she smiled. It was Christmas!

The ground floor flat was home to the Mbatha's – mother, father, two sons, a daughter and the grandparents around specially for Christmas. They'd been great to Claire: brought her a slice of cake whenever they'd been baking, birthday cards and warned them whenever the children were having parties. And she'd been great to them: babysitting, picking up their children from school and busy days and bought them chocolates and wine whenever she thought she owed them a favour. She loved them.

Wiping the Doctor and the Cybermen from her mind with ease in one stroke, she stepped up to the front door and knocked. "Hey! It's Claire here!" Silence. She waited. "Hello? Gone for a walk?"

"Quick! Come in!" a voice cried.

Claire threw the door open and bolted in.

The three children and parents had stopped, staring at Miss Rubens on the TV – loosely keeping themselves upright like zombies. Amongst it all, Grandad and Grandma Mbatha, their eyes wide in horror.

"What happened?" Claire gasped.

"They stopped! They just stopped! The poor childran! Oh please, help the childran!" Grandma Mbatha pleaded, holding up her grandchild's head, cupping it in her old, wrinkled hands.

"You are Claire? Our daughter talked about you. You're a doctor, aren't you?" Grandad Mbatha inquired.

"No. I'm a nurse," Claire replied in a hurry, checking for pupil responses and heartbeat. "Good. They're alive and no brain damage."

"Oh, good gracious. Bless the Lord!" Grandma smiled in relief.

"Then what has happened to them? Why won't they move?" Grandad worried. "And on Christmas!"

Claire went to the son's side, checking him over too . . . Then she noticed . . . In his hand. Claire prized the phone out of his hands and checked the screen. CyberSocial!

"Stay here!" Claire ordered, getting to her feet. "I've not got my mobile on me – the Doctor's taken it – but if anything happens, just call 999."

Claire bolted up the stairs. Flat B: all turned to zombies. Flat C: all turned to zombies. On TVs, the CyberSocial broadcast. CyberSocial open on phones in the victims' hands. It all became clear!

Claire descended the building. Revved her motorbike. Next destination: the BT Tower.

* * *

"Give them back!" Sasha cried at Miss Rubens. "Give them back their minds!"

"Pointless, Sasha. You might as well shut up," the Doctor advised, hissing with anger as the Cyberpuppets stood himself and Sasha in front of Miss Rubens. "You can give up the façade now, the majority of Britain is under your control."

Miss Rubens transformed into her Cyber form. "Twenty two percent of Earth population uploaded to the CyberCloud."

"Oh my God," Sasha gasped.

"The CyberCloud? What's that?" the Doctor inquired.

A blue light flashed on the Cyberman's shoulder.

The Doctor and Sasha looked outside – focusing on the large white cloud hanging over the city. And then it changed! The entire cloud over London flickered with electricity.

Then it became a ship! The veil lifted as the cloud became an entire Cyber ship, frozen in the sky, casting a large black shadow on everything below!

* * *

 _ **Ok, so I wrote this a while ago so don't blame me for another CyberCloud in Doctor Who! Anyway, I hope you liked that! Please review :)**_


	10. Part 10 - Dropping In and Falling Out

_**So, CyberCloud over London...Some help is called in. I hope you're enjoying this - please review because I'd love to hear your opinions! Thanks :)**_

* * *

"Alec!" Claire cried, parked her bike in the middle of the street as she rushed to Alec.

The two of them hugged on the street outside the BT Tower. Around them, the odd person spilled out into the street – hysterical and terrified.

"Where's Sasha? How do we stop this?" Claire asked, quickly pulling out of the hug.

"They're trapped on the top floor with Miss Rubens. The whole floor is guarded by these puppets."

Suddenly, the sky went dark! There was a rattling of metal from above the. Alec and Claire looked up, a large frown growing across their faces.

Above them – a giant ship, blocking out the sky.

Behind Alec and Claire, the terrified people on the streets screamed, falling to the floor and crying, before running out of the ship's shadow.

"We have to stop this," Claire stuttered, in awe of the ship above her. "Is that thing safe? How can we be sure it isn't just going to fall out of the sky?"

"Well, it's not moving at the moment," Alec thought. "Wait! Hold on! You have CyberSocial, how come you've been turned into one of these Cyberpuppets?"

Claire looked to Alec. "Great question."

"Give me your phone."

"I don't have it. The Doctor took it to make the virus."

"Oh, right, yeah! The Doctor gave it to me," Alec remember, taking a phone out of his pocket. After opening CyberSocial, the screen of Claire's phone turned black, and filled with strings of code, flashing across.

"What's all that?" Claire inquired.

"It's . . . I think it's the virus the Doctor made. I mean, if he used you're phone to design it!"

"Can we use it? If that stops CyberSocial, could we somehow use it on everyone?"

"I don't know!" Alec panicked. "Think!"

"Ok, what do we know?" Claire considered logically. "CyberSocial! It's a social networking device. It allows the Cybermen to take control of everyone with a functioning account. It uploads souls! We can use this virus against it!"

"'Everyone with a functioning account,' you said!" Alec realised. "So we stop the accounts working. To do that we need to transmit this message to everyone-"

"THE TV!" Claire suddenly screamed. "Everyone is just staring at the TVs, waiting for instructions. What if we transmit the virus to everyone via the TV!"

"We did. But when we tried to broadcast the signal, they just upgraded themselves."

"Ergh! No. WAIT!" Claire jumped. "But they're physically watching the TV. If they could see the virus, every single person, then that virus will be received by everyone. And if all this information is kept by the Cybermen in on specific place, then that place will be overrun by one single piece of code. BY EVERYONE!"

Alec gasped. "That is genius! Their big mistake! Their souls are uploaded too. Their vison and hearing uploaded. The virus will be swimming in every single mind. I'm telling you, this will work!"

"Yes!" Claire smiled. "But that means we need to get in this phone in front of the camera. How can we do that?"

The phone rang!

"Wait, that's not my phone!" Claire said, raising her eyebrow.

"No, it's my phone," Alec replied in surprise, taking out his phone. He accepted the called and answered, "Hello?"

"Hello, Alec," the voice on the other end replied.

"Yes. Who's this?"

"Kate Stewart. UNIT. We know you're at the BT Tower. We're on our way."

"It's the Cybermen, Kate. They've taken control using CyberSocial."

"Good. Well we're sending as many forces over as possible."

"Yeah, sure. But we need a helicopter!"

"A helicopter?"

"Don't ask, just bring one!"

* * *

Kate Stewart turned to Osgood. "He's gotten ruder."

Osgood nodded. "Blame the Doctor."

"Ok!" Kate called, addressing her team in UNIT HQ, "We're going to need a helicopter and an armed UNIT ready in the next two minutes. And someone contact our special weapons unit; we may need additional assistance."

* * *

"Come on! We need to get to a roof."

"Which one?" Claire asked Alec as he hurried down the street.

"Any one!" Alec called as Claire caught up with him. "This one!" Alec decided throwing open the door to what appeared to be an office block.

* * *

The Doctor and Sasha were pushed to their knees by the Cyberpuppets.

"So where now?" the Doctor snarled at the Miss Rubens Cyberman. "You've converted everyone with CyberSocial, so what do you do now?"

"You can't exactly take over the world with one Cyberman and some zombies," Sasha pointed out.

"Cybermen awaiting current co-ordinates. They will descend," the Cyberman replied.

"There's more to come?" Sasha clarified.

"Yes. Yes," the Doctor stuttered, understanding. "Miss Rubens, she's the only Cyberman. She arrived here first, made CyberSocial and all that. Now that a chunk of the population is zombified, she calls in the rest. That way, the Cyberman have thousands of volunteers at least to walk into Cyber conversion units, no questions asked, mindlessly."

"And by conversion units, you mean the humans will be converted in Cybermen."

* * *

Kate and Osgood were pulled up into the helicopter as it's propellers exploded into life – the UNIT aircraft ascending from the grounds of the Tower.

* * *

Alec and Claire climbed into the lift. They selected the top floor and were catapulted upwards.

* * *

Kate watched London fly past beneath her – London shrunk to a carpet. The UNIT helicopter cut through the sky, it's propellers whirring into cacophony. Destination: the BT Tower, growing closer and closer. Faster and faster.

"There!" Kate declared, pointing to the roof of a building not far from the BT Tower. "Prepare a drop squad!"

The helicopter, descended on the building's roof. On its surface, Alec and Claire, waving their arms to signal the helicopter. It landed, the propellers rippling the air around it.

"Alec! Claire! Great to see you, but no time for pleasantries," Kate smiled – still formal and to the point – stepping off the helicopter with assistance from the drop squad. "Why did you need a helicopter? I know you're used to danger but this is UNIT territory."

"We need to get to that top floor of the BT Tower," Alec informed Kate.

"Why?"

"The Doctor and Sasha are up there with Miss Rubens. She's a Cyberman thing."

"Just one Cyberman?"

"Yes."

"Easy."

"But, no, we don't need to take her out. We just need to broadcast this," Alec said, showing Kate the virus on his phone.

"Ok. Sure. We can drop you on the roof with the drop squad to assist you."

"No. We don't need that. Just get us close to the Tower and lower me in on a wire," Alec pleaded.

Kate looked uneasy – the plan, for once, out of her control. "Fine. Yes. Get on. Prepare to leave!"

Alec, Claire and Kate ran back to the helicopter and were pulled on by UNIT soldiers as it ascended back into the sky.

* * *

"Alert! Alert!" the Cyberman cried, turning away from the Doctor and Sasha, facing out across the London skyline.

"Alert of what?" the Doctor asked.

"Aircraft approaching."

"From where?" Sasha asked, looking out at the city. Just the city and the CyberCloud. Nothing approaching -

SMASH!

The glass wall shattered! Wind whipped into the building!

It was Alec! Alec – dangling from a wire above – was flung onto the top floor, smashing through the glass, knocking the Cyberman to the floor with a thud as he swung into the building. Above him, the helicopter jolted.

Alec landed on the floor, glass raining down around him. Immediately, he removed Claire's phone from his pocket and held it up to the camera.

"Alec!" Sasha gasped.

The Cyberpuppets regained their balance, and advanced on the Doctor and Sasha.

"Whatever you're going to do, do it quickly!" Sasha pleaded.

"Just wait!" Alec barked, still holding the phone to the camera.

"Alec!"

THEY STOPPED!

The Cyberpuppets froze. Then their heads sank. Then they looked back up. Their eyes were human again, with emotion and fear. Alec looked around them – a smile growing on his face.

"What's going on?" the camera man asked.

"Why am I here?" from one of the producers.

"HA!" Alec laughed.

"What happened?" Sasha asked, staggering onto her feet, looking around in a state of surprise.

"It's the virus!" Alec grinned. "Every single person at the moment is watching their TV screens, now they're staring straight at the anti-Cyber virus. The virus being uploaded by them into CyberSocial. They're switching themselves off!"

* * *

A family at Christmas. Silence. Watching codes flash across their TV screens. Their chins sinking to their chests as their heads dropped. And they looked up. All was normal. Laughing. Exchanging presents.

* * *

A young couple – first Christmas in their new flat. Watching codes flash across their TV screens. Their chins sinking to their chests as their heads dropped. And they looked up. Coffee and pancakes covered stairs. What had happened?

* * *

A group of elderly friends, madly trying to wake their friends who had stopped – just sat there, staring. Watching codes flash across their TV screens. Their chins sinking to their chests as their heads dropped. And they looked up. And continued playing cards as if nothing had happened, to their friends' confusion.

* * *

A hospital. Busy. Packed. Over half of the hospital's population simply stopped. Panic ensued – doctors clueless, families crying. Watching codes flash across their TV screens. Their chins sinking to their chests as their heads dropped. And they looked up. And simply continued about their business.

* * *

The Mbatha's - watching codes flash across their TV screens. Their chins sinking to their chests as their heads dropped. And they looked up.

"Quick! 'Erman!" Grandma Mbatha cried. "They've stopped it!"

"What are you shouting for mother?"

"Bless! Thank God!" Grandma Mbatha smiled, hugging her daughter and grandchildren.

* * *

"YES!" Sasha cried in happiness, jumping into Alec's arms, throwing him around in a large hug. "You did it!"

The Doctor staggered to his feet, a smile on his face. "Well, it has to be said," the Doctor said to Alec, "you certainly have way of doing things. Jumping from a wire – I might have to try that some time."

"Blimey, it must be Christmas. You're giving compliments," Alec joked.

Amongst the joking and relief, the Cyberman staggering to it's feet, it's body unscathed – still shining!

"LOOK OUT!" Alec screamed.

BULLET SPEED. The Cyberman ran, time seeming to slow around it like a blurred image – the Doctor, Sasha and Alec all suspended in a state of shock. It grabbed Sasha around the waist!

And jumped . . . Jumped out of the window and fell!

Taking Sasha with it . . .

* * *

 ** _Yep, Sasha's been chucked out of a window! Good luck with that..._**


	11. Part 11 - When a Cloud Falls

_**So: a CyberCloud over London, UNIT dangling Alec on a wire and ... Sasha's plummeting to her death! Enjoy!**_

* * *

Sasha fell, time returning to it's normal speed as she screamed. The ground was pulled towards her, and her to it. Hurtling. Faster. Faster! Screaming! Reaching out to the sky for help!

"SASHA!" Alec cried, watching the blur of his sister disappear out of the window.

Quickly, not having to think, he followed her!

He leapt out of the window, falling alongside her.

* * *

"What was that?" Kate cried over the buzz of the helicopter propellers, looking down out of the window.

"It's Sasha! She's falling!" Claire gasped. "SASHA!"

* * *

"ALEC!" the Doctor exclaimed, rushing to the edge of the window, watching his companions plummet towards the ground.

* * *

Alec tumbled through the air, his eyes focusing on his sister several metres below him. Quickly, he adjusted his shape, more aerodynamic and streamlined so that he cut through the air like a bullet. Below him, Sasha thrashed about, screaming in fear as the ground grew closer.

"Hold on!" Alec called to her.

He reached out his arms.

Sasha reached out hers.

The city flashed past them!

Their hands entwined!

Alec grabbed Sasha, pulling her closer to him – grasping her tightly! He slammed his palm against a device on his hip, connected to the wire. The wire stopped reeling out, stuck in it's position.

* * *

Above them, THE HELICOPTER JOLTED WILDLY – pulled through the air!

"WE'RE FALLING!" Osgood cried as the helicopter was flung downwards, towards the Tower.

The pilot pulled the helicopter sharply to the right, swerving it narrowly out of the way of the Tower.

* * *

"Woah!" Alec cried, feeling his heart drop as he and Sasha descended further, now mere metres from the ground.

The helicopter rose!

* * *

The Doctor sighed in relief, watching the helicopter pull Sasha and Alec back up into the air.

* * *

Sasha and Alec were reeled upwards on the wire and pulled by UNIT soldiers into the helicopter.

"Sasha!" Claire cried, running to grab her best friend, pulling her into a large, warm hug before she collapsed to her knees in exhaustion. "You had me so scared!"

Sasha just gulped, shivering in fear as Claire held her.

"Well done!" Osgood smiled, hugging Alec as her staggered to his feet. "You were brilliant!"

"Thank you! Oh my God," he gasped, barely able to stay on his feet.

"When you're tired of the Doctor, come to us," Kate congratulated him.

"Thank you," Sasha smiled, looking up at her brother.

"Hey. I was just looking out for you," Alec smiled, kneeling down beside his sister.

"I don't deserve a brother like you," Sasha sobbed, placing her head on Alec's shoulder.

* * *

The Doctor wiped his eyes, exhausted. He looked out across the city. Safe again . . .

Then he saw the CyberCloud!

"Give me your phone!" he snapped, swiping the phone out of the producer's hands.

"Hey! What are you doing?" she complained.

Frantically, the Doctor typed a phone number and held the mobile to his ear. "Kate! Is that you?"

* * *

"Yes, Doctor?" Kate replied. "Another Christmas saved. You're beginning to make a habit of this."

"No. It's not saved! Look at the sky. Look at the CyberCloud!"

Kate's smile diminished. She stepped to the edge of the helicopter doors and looked out across the city, watching the cloud. "Why? What's it doing?"

"Just think, Kate!" the Doctor snapped, worry spreading across his face. "That cloud holds every piece of data uploaded by CyberSocial users."

"Yes?" Kate agreed, her face beginning to concern everyone else in the helicopter.

"In which case, every single user has just uploaded the virus that destroys any Cyber programming . . ."

"Oh good Lord!" Kate stammered, realisation dawning on her.

"The virus is deactivating the programs that are keeping that cloud in flight!"

* * *

Suddenly, the lights covering a whole side of the CyberCloud switched off! The air was filled with the grinding, wheezing of engines – engines failing! And the groan! The horrific groan as the left hand side of the cloud shifted, falling downwards by five metres.

* * *

"No, no, no!" Kate cried, hanging up on the Doctor and dialling a new number into her phone.

"Kate, what is it?" Alec asked.

"What's happening?" Claire worried, looking out across the skyline.

"That cloud! The CyberCloud! It's going to fall!" Kate replied.

"It's going to fall on London!" Claire gasped.

* * *

In the city below, the streets filled with people. They looked up at the cloud . . .

And screamed!

In a way, the entire city shifted, everyone running out of the CyberCloud's shadow, dragging their children and loved ones with them in a mad panic. The streets were blocked. Panic filled the air!

And then the explosion!

A whole section of the CyberCloud, the size of building, burst into flames! Most of the wreckage was flung into the Thames, but the city below was scattered with debris.

* * *

"Oh Jesus!" Sasha gasped.

"You've got to stop it!" Alec cried. "That cloud is going that crush the entire city at any moment!"

"Calm down a moment," Osgood stuttered. "We can sort this out!"

"It's Kate Stewart!" Kate cried into her phone. "Calling UNIT Headquarters, I need you to direct me to the Special Weapons Department immediately! Code Red! Code Red!"

* * *

"Get out! Get out!" the Doctor barked at the camera crew, ushering them out of the top floor.

They obeyed, running down the stairs and out of the building, abandoning everything in the emergency.

"Hurry! Go!" the Doctor ushered them.

* * *

"I need a disintegrator!" Kate called down the phone. "Yes! The CyberCloud! Rip it to shreds!"

"You're going to shoot it out the sky?" Alec asked. "You can't do that! Chunks of it are going to hit the city!"

"Just wait and see," Kate instructed.

* * *

The CyberCloud screeched as it's engines failed . . .

It began to fall!

Underneath the city screamed as the mass of metal dipped downwards. The lights that covered it flashed!

* * *

"Fire!" Kate ordered. "I repeat: fire!"

* * *

Across the city, three beams of bright green laser light pulsed into the air, converging on the CyberCloud. The cloud swelled with the light, glittering in its emerald light like a diamond, before -

SMASH!

The entire CyberCloud burst into white ash – tiny fragments of shrapnel. And the cloud precipitated down on the city, covering it in a thick white blanket. It was snowing on the city!

* * *

Sasha's eyes glittering – the green light and white droplets glowing in the air.

The impact of the explosion shook the helicopter a little, yet its passengers were too focused on the wonder in the sky to care.

"Is that stuff safe? What is it?" Alec asked.

"Yes, it's safe," Kate replied. "Those rays – they split each atom apart and rearrange the particles so that they all form water. And from that height . . ."

". . . It's actually snow!" Claire smiled.

* * *

 _ **Wooop! Ok, so one more chapter to go, and it's time to say, "Goodbye." Oh, and as I promised, Alec finally gives The Doctor his present - trust me, it's important! Thanks as ever! Please review :)**_


	12. Part 12 - The Gift

_**WOOP! FINAL CHAPTER! So, about time you found out what this gift is! I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it! I hope this is the conclusion you've been hoping for :) THANK YOU!**_

* * *

Snow dusted the Doctor's hair.

In Trafalgar Square, perched on the edge of the foundations. And in front of him . . . Christmas!

Families, couples, single men and women and elderly and teenagers flocked out of their homes and onto the streets. They were laughing and dancing and singing and joking. Wrapped up against the cold. Rouged cheeks.

"Excuse me," the Doctor asked, catching a young boy, a snowball moulding in his hands, "why are you all outside?"

The boy laughed. "It's snowing!"

"But aren't you all usually inside on Christmas. It's cold out. You could catch your death. Especially at your age."

"Well there's no TV signal. No channels at all and because of what's happened to the phones, everyone's too scared to use anything electric."

"Exactly! Isn't that Christmas ruined for you lot?"

The boy simply smiled. "Not today."

The Doctor shook his head in confusion. "But you're not crying at all, you're actually singing!" the Doctor exclaimed, gesturing to a group of carollers. The Doctor sighed. "Go on then. Have some fun. I imagine you somehow deserve it."

The Doctor was left alone in the snow, the world rejoicing around him. And he looked up – a helicopter! And he smiled, waving up at his distant companions.

It really was a Merry Christmas!

* * *

"Come with us," Sasha pleaded, stroking Claire's shoulder, stood outside the TARDIS in the middle of a street. It was night. But the air was still warm and joyous. Fairy lights were hung across the balconies of nearby flats and orange street lights illuminated the dark. Around them, Alec chauffeured suitcases into the TARDIS."I need some more sisters in that ship."

Claire frowned under her smile. "You know I can't. This life isn't for me. I belong back at my Emergency Department and my flat – adventure and danger has no place being wasted on me."

Sasha smiled glumly, "I'll miss you."

"And I'll miss you!" Claire laughed hugging Sasha firmly. "Give us a call whenever. And pop back for some tea and biscuits. I know it's your favourite so don't deny it."

"Always!"

"Take these," Claire insisted, handing Sasha a large sparkling bag. "Christmas presents. Enjoy!"

"I got Alec to sneak yours under your tree," Sasha grinned.

"Look after him too," Claire added, her eyes growing solemn. "He's still a kid. Don't forget that."

"I know, I know," Sasha insisted. "Believe me, I'd do anything for him."

"Good."

* * *

Alec placed a bundle of suitcases in the TARDIS. He looked up. The Doctor was working, already planning their next adventure by the monitor – oblivious to Alec.

"I've got something for you," Alec called, trying his best to catch the Doctor's attention. "You can have it. You can have the Christmas present I got you."

The Doctor simply held out his hand – not paying much attention. Alec learned to cope with this.

"It's not much really. You remember when we went to Bellamore – the tourist planet with layers of gardens in the sky? Anyway, I found this tickets for this concert. I bought two of them, hoping me and Shannon could get but . . . Anyway, I wanted you to have them. Take River on a date or something. My treat to you. A thank you," Alec explained, placing two tickets in the Doctor's hands.

"Great. Hand-me-down presents. I suppose I should thank you anyway," the Doctor thanked, in a way, turning over the tickets to inspect them. "Who are we even seeing anyway."

"The Singing Towers of Darillium."

Silence.

The Doctor's hearts paused – too terrified to beat. Realisation sunk in. Sweat flooded. His hearts started again, now racing! His hands shook, barely holding the tickets.

"Are you ok, Doctor?" Alec inquired. "Is there something wrong with them?"

"Yes," the Doctor quickly replied, hurriedly calming himself as he became aware of how obvious his fear was to Alec. "They're perfect. Thank you," the Doctor smiled.

"Don't hug me!" Alec quickly interjected.

"Why would you think I'd do that?"

"I don't know. Normal people do. Anyway!" Alec cried, stepped towards the door. "Spend those wisely! I'll be back in a moment," he added, hurrying out of the TARDIS door.

* * *

Alec interrupted, shaking out his back and arms, "That's it! Everything packed!"

Sasha and Claire separated from their embrace. Claire stepped towards Alec. "Goodbye for now then."

"I guessed so," Alec nodded. He held out his hand – a farewell for the meantime.

Claire simply laughed. "Really?!" she joked, pushing down Alec's hand, wrapping him in a hug instead like a boa constrictor. She eventually placed him back on the ground and smiled. Alec smiled back.

And then came the silence. The acceptance that the three close friends were dividing, and may not reunite for some time, if ever again.

"He cried on my shoulder like a little girl! There was a summer dress, pigtails and everything!" Claire called to Sasha, the two of them reverting to their school day youth.

Alec gasped. Mortified by the embarrassment. "That was a secret!"

"What?! HAHA!" Sasha laughed, bursting into hysterics.

"Come one!" the Doctor called, poking his head out of the TARDIS doors like a cuckoo.

"And you!" Claire snapped, aiming her finger directly at the Doctor. "You saved Christmas, so I'll let you off for now. But I want these two back and safe and well. And don't you dare abandon them again. They will always deserve better in my eyes, so I expect you to give them your best every single time. Do you understand me?"

A smile grew across the Doctor's face. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Good boy," Claire thanked him, a small smile appearing from her too.

The closest they would get to friendship.

"Come on! Time to go," the Doctor hurried, gesturing for Sasha and Alec to join him in the TARDIS.

"You'll want to stay for this bit!" Sasha laughed, running into the TARDIS behind the Doctor and Alec, the door closing behind them.

"Why?" Claire called after them.

* * *

"Alec – these for buttons, keep them down. Sasha – pull this left, down, right and top. All ready?" the Doctor instructed, dashing into the TARDIS with his companions, allocating them to their tasks, positioning them around the console.

"Ready!" Alec grinned.

"Ready!" Sasha announced.

"Fantastic! Allons-y! Geronimo! Goodbye, Christmas!" the Doctor laughed, and on his signal, the three of them stepped into action, setting the TARDIS into flight!

* * *

Claire watched, flabbergasted, as the TARDIS dissolved into the air around her. She laughed. One last laugh. And why not? As the fairy lights glittered, choirs rejoiced in the distance and white snow drifted through the ebony sky, for once – and only that once – did she finally believe in miracles . . .

* * *

The offices were quiet, glittered with tinsel and glow of computer monitors. The remaining police officers on duty in the building were huddled in corners, laughing and joking with elf hats. Band Aid hummed in the background.

Constable Jameson entered – tired, a little shambolic.

"Where's Rippon's office?" Jameson asked, exhausted.

"Down there," one of the officers replied, mid laugh.

Jameson pulled himself into the office – knocking before entering. Rippon was sat on his own in the dark, the blue light from his monitor illuminating his face, shrouding him in mystery.

"Yes, Sir?" Jameson inquired. "It's just . . . Well, it's Christmas. And I probably shouldn't be on duty; I was drinking."

"Never mind. Come round here," Rippon insisted, clicking his fingers in a gesture for Jameson to watch the monitor. Jameson obeyed. "It's footage from the car crash by the markets."

"Do we have an identification?" Jameson asked.

"Yes indeed," Rippon replied. "Sasha Parker and Claire Hodgson – nothing to worry about. Just a couple of ordinary women. Miss Parker, in fact, used to work here. Lazy officer, shouldn't be on the force, annoyed me once too often but she's not a bad girl. The older gentleman can't yet be identified."

"And the boy?"

"That's Alec Parker. Now this is where it gets interesting. He was reported missing and dead over ten years ago. And any record of him has been scrubbed clear. Blank. Now, just a couple of months ago we received a phone call specifically warning us to keep an eye on this boy. He's dangerous."

"And mysterious, I can see."

"I want to you to find out everything you can about this boy."

"Ok, well I can come back in the morning to make a start-"

"-To your desk, Constable Jameson. This starts tonight."

* * *

 _ **And that's it! As I said, thank you for being so loyal and for reading this story - I really do hope you liked it! So, PC Jameson and Rippon are out to get Alec, and by any means! And The Doctor has the tickets for Darillium! I'll be back with a new series at some point soon (maybe as a Christmas present). It's all planned, and just needs writing, and believe me, it's going to be a ride! THANK YOU!**_


End file.
